The United States of America is now without a captain, a head honcho and without clear steering leadership. President Donald J. Trump is clearly not stable or a capable person who can hold thought longer, than he holds his thirst for a Diet Coke. So it is old-fashion way that, when the weekend started and during the weekend. Either the White House or the Republican Party has assaulted the Democratic Party for not doing their patriotic duty. However, they are not the majority in the House of Representatives, they are not the majority in the Senate and they do not have the Presidency.

All of that should come into consideration as the Budget negotiations has been going on. There been counter measured to secure payments for soldiers and people in combat. While that has been silenced by the same Republican Party, that are blaming the Democrats. Its the whole way of discussing the deal and agreement with the minority leader, has proven to failing. That President Trump can get into one state of mind and then hours later a call from Chief of Staff John Kelly. Can sway in another direction. Then again can another call from Trump to Democratic leader Chuch Schumer being about another piece, that was not agreed upon.

Its this constant changes and not stability. Its the constant use of military and health care for the needy, while the same majority party has dismantled a lot of that in the tax-cut bill in late part 2017. So the Democrats knows how the Republican party operates, not for the people need, but for the needs of their donors. They don’t care about the CHIP Program and neither care about DREAMERS. That is evident by their way of reasoning and their way of negotiations. Trump clearly doesn’t care about these, he promises left and right, but just wants tax-cuts for him and another party at Mar-A-Lago in Florida.

That the Democrats has been in the trenches trying to fix something is evident. While Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan have no heart. We knew they operated that out some time ago and its left behind in the closet of one of their main donors. Since, they are using the speeches of the past, but they are the ones that filibustered the crap out of the House and Senate during the Obama Years. Now that they cannot get 60 votes in the Senate. They are sending assaults to Schumer and the Democrats. It is insane!

When they are throwing out bi-partisan deals, by the time spent to forge a deal that both parties can work on and secure funding. Also for popular programs like CHIP and DACA. Clearly, the Republican party doesn’t see that, because they are lost in the InfoWars, Breitbart and Fox News news-cycle, where if they go outside of that paradigm. They will lose popularity in the needed midst of 20% – 30% electorate, which they need in the midterms 2018. Clearly, the Republican Party is afraid to look weak and not following promises made during the 2016 election.

While that is happening, the cost of this a government shutdown. That means many will not during next payout of salaries and government programs will cease until the shutdown is stopped. The natural funding and the in-activity will mean that many ordinary non-life danger programs will stop. This because the President and his party cannot be in balanced and stable in negotiations. They are their worst enemy, but playing the blame-game on Democrats. Who can support this government, but has no incentive to do, when they are shot down and has no reason to give way over nothing.

What the Republicans should do, which they won’t, is to look into themselves and their blackmailing of the other party. Nothing else has happen. That is why the speeches of McConnell and Ryan has been like they are. They know about the changes and calls between them and Democrats. Still, they are blaming them.

They are easily the opposite of Robin Hood, giving more to wealthy and less to the poor. They are struggling to govern, because their enemy is gone in the White House. The Republicans we’re good as long as the Freedom Caucus and the Tea Party Activist could block progressive and liberal ideas from the White House. But now that they have the man in the office and the Capitol Hill for themselves. They cannot explain or be able to agree themselves on what is key or important. Therefore, they have to make enemies out of the Democrats. Secondly, they expect to get away with that.

Not so strange, the blackmailing is their thing, it is the thing of Trump. That is why he has record of lawsuits during his corporate career, why he has not paid workers on his buildings and properties and then sued the contractors for negligence and whatnot. Trump has done that all his life and therefore, tries the same trick as President. However, this isn’t mob business or contractors who needs his money. This is people who has constituents and future votes to be in their favor. Democrats doesn’t need Trump. They don’t need him or his presidency. That is the truth. Trump, thinks everyone needs him and wants him. He is the center of the Universe. However, for the democrats, he is a necessary evil. A devil you work with, in need, but buries hopefully in the future.

So the Republican Party has gone wrongly about it all, they are the ones that need the Democrats. Not the other way around. They have the majority and is supposed to govern. It seems easy on West Wing and Yes Prime Minister. Therefore, they should feel the pinch and their guilt. Even as they deflect and even Kellyann Conway are on TV, still spreading the news of the deal-maker Trump is. Well, it is proven he is jello. It is proven that his shifting and short-term memory, also lack of focus is destroying the importance of the budget negotiations and their deadlines. Combined with the neglect of leadership from his side. Trump cannot whip his party into one focus and one line. If Fox & Friends or Breitbart excel a bad story. He will twist his mind and change way. That is not the way of making significant changes in law.

I think the Republican’s has to jump from the wall and find a middle-ground. If they are serious about governing and not just creating headlines. If the Republicans care about their government and the service it provides, other than giving tax-relief to the wealthy. Time is to open their minds and mouths, talk with the Democratic Party and see where they can go. Peace.

“The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt

Yesterday, something rare happen, the United Nations addressed big issues within the United States and their ways of governing. Clearly, this is starch message. If this was a poorer and weaker state. The United States Special Rapporteur Phillip Alston would have condemn their actions. Instead, he is describing it and addressing it. Which is a fresh look from the United Nations, that is worried about the growing poverty in the US. It is special that it happens in this period and time. When the ruling party and majority in both chambers of the Congress. Is working on a bill to give tax relief to the wealthiest, the corporations and growing deficit on the federal budget. Clearly, the value of the middle-class and the poorest doesn’t matter in this calculation. Since, the taxes will grow for the ordinary and the poor, while the richest get more cash.

Therefore, what the UN Special Rapporteur is writing is damning. It is demeaning. This isn’t a fairy-tale or a Disney adventure. This isn’t the dream of gaining fortunes at Silicon Valley. This is the real deal, the issues, the ghetto’s, the slums and the ones living on food-stamps all around the US. The way the United States is governed, might be also a reason for the rampant poverty. Since the Federal State is so far away and the limitations on the States. Barres the State governments from actually delivering necessary welfare and provisions to help their poorest citizens. It could be in their DNA, as everyone is supposed to be self-made and can become millionaires. Even if it is just a tiny group of people who is able to go from the slums and ghetto’s and become vastly wealthy. They are more rare, than the norm. The Rapporteur really paints a story of an American Nightmare and not the American Dream. Alston is describing a bleak picture and shows, that the United States got a lot of work to do. If their citizens are supposed to have equal rights and equal opportunities, because the contrasts and the different spectrum’s of wealth should worry the politicians. Clearly, it doesn’t when we know how the Tax-Plan is and who will benefit in the coming years.

“The reality that I have seen, however, is very different. It is a fact that many of the wealthiest citizens do not pay taxes at the rates that others do, hoard much of their wealth off-shore, and often make their profits purely from speculation rather than contributing to the overall wealth of the American community. Who then are the poor? Racist stereotypes are usually not far beneath the surface. The poor are overwhelmingly assumed to be people of color, whether African Americans or Hispanic ‘immigrants’. The reality is that there are 8 million more poor Whites than there are Blacks. Similarly, large numbers of welfare recipients are assumed to be living high on the hog. Some politicians and political appointees with whom I spoke were completely sold on the narrative of such scammers sitting on comfortable sofas, watching color TVs, while surfing on their smart phones, all paid for by welfare. I wonder how many of these politicians have ever visited poor areas, let alone spoken to those who dwell there. There are anecdotes aplenty, but evidence is nowhere to be seen. In every society, there are those who abuse the system, as much in the upper income levels, as in the lower. But the poor people I met from among the 40 million living in poverty were overwhelmingly either persons who had been born into poverty, or those who had been thrust there by circumstances largely beyond their control such as physical or mental disabilities, divorce, family breakdown, illness, old age, unlivable wages, or discrimination in the job market” (…) “There is no magic recipe for eliminating extreme poverty, and each level of government must make its own good faith decisions. But at the end of the day, particularly in a rich country like the USA, the persistence of extreme poverty is a political choice made by those in power. With political will, it could readily be eliminated” (…) “Reflecting on these developments, leading poverty experts have concluded that: Because of this rising joblessness, the U.S. poverty population is becoming a more deprived and destitute class, one that’s disconnected from the economy and unable to meet basic needs. … 40 percent of the 1999 poverty population was in deep poverty … [compared to 46 percent of the 2015 poverty population … . Likewise, rates of extreme poverty (i.e., living on less than $2 per day per person) are also increasing, again because of declining employment as well as growing “disconnection” from the safety net” (Alston, 2017).

This words are striking, these words are address big problems within the American society. That cannot be taken easy. There isn’t proper institutions, programs or even state provisions to help out the ones need. The growing poverty and extreme poverty is weird when you consider the vast amount of wealth residing the same nation. It is like it was rigged to be this way and they are playing demographics and also politics must really be damaging. Since, there aren’t any clear indication that these issues are addressed or significantly cared about by the federal state or the states themselves. The ignorance of the needs of their own, should shatter anyone caring about fellow human beings. That they accept the dire poverty, while the riches families can own estates bigger than some European Kingdoms.

If that isn’t a signal of something in need of change, while so many are struggling to survive and to pay the next rent. That there are a lack of understanding of the generation after generation of struggling individuals in the ghetto’s and slums. These are not looked after or tried to fix, but with small patches and civil society based organization who try to do charity. However, they cannot make them prosper or change the evil circle of lack of jobs and no safety net from the state.

This is political choice and by political will, by the ones that actually are in power. They have to show their concern. Give their legislation and make sure that these people are addressed and have a future. Since they can leave the groundwork and framework so they can live life beyond the hand-to-mouth. But actually own a home and live decent. Instead of struggling with every single penny. Worrying about if either you or any other person in the family ending up in the hospital. If so, they have to collect more debt and struggle more because of lack of coverage and funds to be able to pay for health-insurance. That could be typical issue for Americans on the poverty line. The forgotten by all powers and shown these days by the tax-plan as well, who will make Medicaid and other programs get grave cut. While the corporations are getting tax-holidays.

There is something really wrong these days in America. The riches are really poor. They cannot afford to pay tax or even contribute to the society they are earning their fortunes in. They are so poor, they cannot stomach paying points on the dollars, so the poorest and their workers can get some social benefits. So they can be more healthy and work better for them. Instead, their greed and their draconian ways, will make the extreme poverty even worse and grow numbers of people in dire needs. With time, the corporations will also have fewer costumers. Since they cannot afford to buy their products. So it won’t gain growth, when making more people poor, while a minority will get even wealthier. Peace.

Reference:

Alston, Phillip – ‘Statement on Visit to the USA, by Professor Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights*’ (15.12.2017)

The Republican Party and their representatives and Senators have now shown their loyalty to the donors like Koch and corporations who are supporting their campaigns. The Campaign funding and party is the reason for all of this. That the Corporate America get a say in Congress and pay-off their debt to the donors. This sort of activity shows that the voters and citizens now is second fiddle. The most important piece of legislation is that it grows the deficit, that the Democratic Party and Barrack Obama had to be wise about. While the Republicans themselves can risk the economy, because the legislation benefits their donors. While the citizens will pay more tax with time.

The CBO themselves said this mid-November about the Tax Cut and Jobs Act: “The staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation determined that provisions in the Chairman’s Mark would increase deficits over the 2018-2027 period by $1.5 trillion (not including any macroeconomic effects). By CBO’s estimate, additional debt service would boost the 10-year increase in deficits to $1.7 trillion. As a result of those higher deficits, debt held by the public would increase from the 91.2 percent of gross domestic product in CBO’s June 2017 baseline to 97.3 percent” (CBO, 13.11.2017).

So the representatives and senators who voted for this yesterday are not only giving the corporation a giant tax-break and making for changes that are for the benefit of the wealthy. But at the same time the estimates are that they are breaking the state reserves and the gross domestic product. They are making the state bankrupt for the benefit of the wealthy. While they are cutting needed services and adding taxes on the middle-class and the poor. Draconian law if there ever was one. This is the opposite of Robin Hood. This is midieval and bourgeois of them. The Republican Party have no given all freedoms and liberties to the top 1 percent of the population. While the rest have to stagger themselves and with time pay more and more for basic needs. The only Republican Senator who voted against was Robert Phillips Corker of Tennessee. The rest was democrats who voted against it too!

Here is later in the month estimate by CBO, which is also damning to the results of this legislation:

“According to JCT’s estimates, the largest revenue reductions would result from the provision that would modify income tax rates and brackets: Revenues would fall by $1,165 billion and outlays for refundable tax credits would increase by $9 billion over the 2018-2027 period. The increase in the standard deduction would reduce revenues by $654 billion and increase outlays for refundable tax credits by $83 billion over the same period, JCT estimates. Repealing the individual AMT would reduce revenues by $769 billion from 2018 to 2027” (…) “Repealing the Individual Mandate. The bill’s most significant effects on outlays would occur as a result of the elimination, beginning in 2019, of the penalties associated with the individual mandate” (…) “The number of people with health insurance would decrease by 4 million in 2019 and 13 million in 2027” (CBO, 2017).

So while the Federal Reserves are getting less taxes in, the same state also repeals parts of Medicaid and ObamaCare offerings to the impoverished part of the population. Therefore, this tax-bill is also hurting the public who needs substantial coverage and also medical support to able to afford healthcare. This bill is really showing the riches eating more and paying less to big-society, while the poor will suffer even more. Because the Republican Party only has the interest of their donors and their corporations who are lobbying and paying their campaigns. That is now evident with this votes and this legislation. As they have kept the whole piece in the dark and amended in the last minute. Even rewriting directly on the legislation with handwriting. Not having time to check the consequences or having reports on the possible deficits or even damage it does to the citizens.

That the Republicans are doing this with majority in the House and Senate. Shows who they obey, who they trust and who they serve. The Republicans don’t serve the public, they serve the donors and the corporations. They don’t represent the people best interests, but the Multi-National and Big-Business. They are corporate stooges who are making sure the ones who are donating to them are getting some well deserved tax-breaks later. The deficits and the loss of tax revenue combined with the added taxes later on the public. Doesn’t seem to mind the Republican representatives and senators. They are just following orders of the ones who are paying for their PACs and their SUPER PACs. They are just listening and following the guidelines given by the corporations donating to them.

Its hard not to see it differently, since this isn’t to make the American republic any better. This legislation doesn’t make any other sense. Than the Corporations are walking inside the State Reserves and getting their money back. Instead of paying something for their rights to do business in the United States. Soon the people are paying the corporations not only for their services, but also for their benefits of actually doing business there. They are getting both by the hook and by the crook. This is not a good look. It is a billionaires dream and not for the working-class, neither the lower middle-class. They are put into the shadow and used as pawns by the Republican party.

This bill is Koch Industry and Koch supported in many ways, but also other conservative donors wet-dream. They are so having a hard-on by this bill. Because of this mess, they are ready to nasty and nitty-gritty with the public. Finally they are having their pay-day and their pay-off for years of supporting and donating funds to these politicians. The Senate and House is now bought off and their ethical backbone isn’t there. These Senators and these Representatives aren’t free-thinking individuals, but they are only a useful tool for the corporations and lobbyist to get their will.

In the same effect written by Public Citizen recently:

““The alliance between the Kochs and the Trump administration on the Republican tax bill has become so strong that lines between Koch brothers and Trump administration efforts have blurred. That was the case in July, when Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin held a panel discussion on tax issues with Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips and the White House’s Marc Short. At this event and others, the Koch groups claimed that their desire was to “unrig the economy” by enacting tax cuts for giant corporations” (Public Citizen, P: 14, 2017). “The presence of so many Koch-affiliated political operatives in the Trump administration underscores how Trump has betrayed his supporters and contradicted his pledges to stand up for forgotten Americans against powerful interests. In an administration that lacks a clear policy agenda or expertise, Koch aides have been happy to fill the void with specific ideas to enrich corporate interests and harm the public as a whole. This agenda betrays the central idea of Trump’s campaign: that an outsider was needed to stand up for the little guy against the powerful” (Public Citizen, P: 34, 2017).

With this knowledge and going back in time, just a few months, you can see that the one of the biggest donors has been swaying the White House to change tax-policy in their favor. The irony is that all of this is betraying his promises. But all of the representatives and senators are following suit. Yesterday, is a proof of the control the donors and corporations have over the political elite within the Republican Party. They might have the same over the Democrats, but they didn’t vote this legislation in, the Republicans did!

It is their legacy and their decisions are now making sure the republic and the state will suffer. So that the state can give tax-breaks and tax-relief to the wealthy and businesses over the citizens. If you don’t believe it. Check the numbers, check the public oversight of who pays the PACs and SUPER PACs. Check who pays for campaigns and then check who gets less taxes from 1st January 2018. That is easily quid-pro-quo. Nothing else, this isn’t a masterpiece, this is vomit and disgusting misuse of power and authority for the interests of the rich. They not shielding the weak and poor, but securing their demise. Peace.

Just like the leaflet dropped in April 2017 as a serious Tax Plan, which was one-page long. Clearly, the people in charge of the economy and financial state of the United States. Are more preoccupied with taking private jets and eating while in office than actually working. I can question that after months after the leaflet, there was a tiny amendment on the newly proposed tax-plan. Since it is just small expanded text. Now instead of one single page, its gone up to 9 pages. Not like a handbook into the codes, neither economic implications of the taxes. Like which groups gets benefits, who will pay more and what sort of “damage” will the tax-cuts made by Republican Party do.

This released Tax plan: “Unified Framework for Fixing Our Broken Tax Code”, that was released today. You should expect better work, especially from former businessmen and bankers who are running the Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. Both of them has been bankers, but they still has no stats or proof of how these tax codes really affects society. It’s like selling house on only the paperwork and have no official showing of the house. When you get there it either be just a big lie or it be a shiny palace.

That the United States Government and Republican Party are delivering this sort ploy to trigger their wishes is insane. What is striking is words like these: “An additional top rate may apply to the highest-income taxpayers to ensure that the reformed tax code is at least as progressive as the existing tax code and does not shift the tax burden from high-income to lower- and middle-income taxpayers” (Republican Tax, 2017). This is like saying we will take away and make it simpler for the highest earners to pay less, while this will not burden the ones who earn less than us. So that the progressive though is that the highest earner will get a tax-cut and we promise it will not bother anyone.

But the framework are really showing its love for corporation and giving them tax-holidays from the last quarter of 2017: “The framework allows businesses to immediately write off (or “expense”) the cost of new investments in depreciable assets other than structures made after September 27, 2017, for at least five years. This policy represents an unprecedented level of expensing with respect to the duration and scope of eligible assets. The committees may continue to work to enhance unprecedented expensing for business investments, especially to provide relief for small businesses” (Republican Tax, 2017). So they can easily just tap lots of investments without showing them to the Internal Revenue Service, this means the investments would be easily invested and written-off, without considering the tax-record in general. This will be quickly profitable for big corporations and real-estate businesses. Who can easily invest and get profits within months. As they sell in the next year, as they are investing in 2017 and writing it off. While in 2018 selling it. Then they didn’t need to pay the tax for the investment done in 2017. This is double profit for the bigger businesses. It’s a match made in heaven for the multi-national corporations in the United States. The state will earn less and just make sure the investment will be even more short-term and be more buy-in and takeovers. Since they can earn lot’s on the investments, before dropping it or selling it the next year after writing it off.

“The framework limits the maximum tax rate applied to the business income of small and family owned businesses conducted as sole proprietorships, partnerships and S corporations to 25%. The framework contemplates that the committees will adopt measures to prevent the recharacterization of personal income into business income to prevent wealthy individuals from avoiding the top personal tax rate” (Republican Party, 2017). Again, the proposed Tax is made to secure the wealthy, so they will get tax-cuts, this is not for the betterment of the state. It is to secure the wealthy and make sure their tax-rate is cut. Clearly, the treasury and commerce secretary are trying to help their friends and family on Wall Street and in the big business with a fancy tale of tax codes and cuts.

If you thought President Trump cared about Middle-America or even about the Working-Class, they we’re needed props and needed ballots for the election. But now that he got you in his pockets. He can get a payday, cut his taxes and make sure his friend on Wall Street gets their payday too! Peace.

It is hard to take the “2017 Tax Reform for Economic Growth and American Jobs” that was released on 26th April 2017, a one page leaflet of wishes. This is shorter than most of the restaurant and they usually doesn’t have that many dishes to serve their clientele. Still, the Trump Administration and their “Treasury Secretary Steve Mnushin set out a test for tax reform that, “there will be no absolute tax cut for the upper class.” (Richard E. Neal – ‘President Trump’s Tax Proposal Another Broken Promise to the Middle Class’ – 26.04.2017). Still, with the first prospect of the wish-list of the Trump Administration is to give the rich less taxes.

An on a one-page wish-list you don’t really have the space or the care for describing the results, I look forward to read the CBO report on the proposed tax cuts. Since this should have some sort of implications, not only let the Manhattan elite afford yet another cabin in the Aspen or trip to Formula One in Monaco. They are speaking of easing the tax-codes and provide tax-relief for American families, without giving any specific detail into what that might be. I am sure the tickets of travel and the indispensable Secret Service guards to the golfing-weekends at the Mar-A-Lago in Florida has more explained reports, than these quick promises to the American families.

They are putting new brackets for the American families, also doubling deductions from the taxes and promise relief, without saying what this means, or if the families really get any serious cuts. While the Business get a shaved business tax rate from 35% to 15 %. One time tax on the Business Ownership abroad, to make sure the funds comes back into the United States. Last is to eliminate the tax breaks for special interest. So the last one, is to significantly add some tax back in the Internal Revenue Service.

So the little plan they have is to either cut and reform it minimally, while giving tax breaks to bigger corporations and the wealthy. The ones who already have the money and earns the profits, get to pay less, while the ones who needs or could have need of serious reform doesn’t get it. The ones earning on this wish-list is the Wall Street connected individuals, the Multi-National Corporations and the Limited Liability Companies (LLC). This sort of tax reform is made for the richest, not for the working class or the average voters who voted for the current President.

This is just another proof, that the President Trump isn’t there to drain the swamp or even trying to stop the major corporate takeover of Washington D.C. and the Capitol Hill. He is more of the same, just infused with less coded language and straight-face doubling down on the foreplay for the business executives. There isn’t anything in the works that proves that President Trump want to care about environment or health of his population over the profits of Goldman Sachs, Merrill-Lynch or any other significant private sector business operative like Exxon-Mobile. All of them will get the blessings and their days in the sunshine. As long as their Manchurian Candidate Trump are in office.

There aren’t anything that proves otherwise, his Executive Orders has been for easement of the businesses, not for the well-being of the population nor environment. The lacking care of the citizens and only caring for corporate citizens will clearly alter the pledges and promises. Certainly, the ones who voted for him should feel betrayed. The corporate greed in the United States is endless, as all the lobbyists, the paid senators, paid representatives and other legislators in Washington D.C. follows their donors more than the public. Just look at Ted Cruz record of praising the Mercer family and their values. Than you get a prime time example and all of the Republicans working for the Koch Brothers will.

The same is now happening from the oval office, with no restraint or any care of the consequence, if they fail or bitterly accept the truth. Doubt it, as they will double down and say it is for the common core, while the true tax cuts is for big-business and multi-national corporations who will have a surge of profits. The supposed trickling down theory will be put into play, while more of the monies will go into the pockets of the wealthy and the difference between the richest and poorest will grow even more. The lack of care from the state combined with the massive wealth, will really also destroy the society and make the ones left behind even feel more vulnerable, but that is not a concern the Trump Administration has. They only care for the billionaires and millionaires, not the ones living on food-stamps or on government subsidizes, as this government would easily have axed all of that.

I look forward to see the estimates from a real tax-plan from the Trump Administration, one with the implication and proposed reaction to the taxes and cuts. If the Trump Administration after these sort of cuts ever compare themselves to previous administrations and their cuts. They should be careful, as this will spike the deficit and the borrowing will grow enormously, into amounts that make the Democratic government look careful and fiscal sound. But it is only the Republican Presidents and Governments who is allowed to act as drunk dogs and then complain when the democrats doesn’t serve them at the last call. Certainly, this is the prospect of this sort of acts. This will not be for the American families, neither for the middle-class, this tax cuts are for the business owners and the wealthy who pockets dozens of millions on this without any consideration on fiscal funding of the budget, nor the expenses running the current government. But hey, Trump wants to downgrade the American economy and also weaken the dollar, so this might be one of the many ways he tries to do it. Kudos! Peace.